


Wayment

by orphan_account



Category: Touhou Project
Genre: Angst, Gen, I have way too many makai headcanons, there's no tag for this so warning for implied miscarriage and pregnancy stuff, time to play hrtp and cry
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-29
Updated: 2017-06-29
Packaged: 2018-11-21 04:03:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,184
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11349477
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Shinki is dying, Makai needs a new heir, and Alice is nowhere to be found.





	Wayment

After thousands of years, Shinki’s body finally starts to give way. With Alice gone, a new heir to the throne must be chosen.  
  
She’d foolishly clung to her life this long, and it hurt, to consider giving it up. But Shinki was only human.

 

Goddess in a figurative meaning, perhaps. But in build, a human. A human who’d used magic to prolong her life, to stunt her growth. But much like a pressed flower, her beauty and body had begun to wilt. It was something she accepted long ago. And with a multitude of children, the choice should have been easy.

 

By rule, by the laws Shinki invented herself for this new realm, Alice was the automatic inheritor to the crown. But she had left, sought her own freedom. And Shinki couldn’t bring herself to stop her. Who was she to bring a being into this world, and then deny it its freedom? And it was too late. There was no time left to teach Alice the centuries worth of magic needed to manage Makai. Makai’s population, it’s ecosystems, even its weather was self-sufficient once it’d been there long enough. But there was always mistakes, or emergencies. Floods and fires, population problems and lack of resources fixed by a magician’s hand.

 

Alice had the very grimoire that held it, but who was to say she knew any of it all? Shinki couldn’t know. And now, she had to decide the fate of her world with what little time she had left.

 

* * *

 

 

Sariel, her first creation. She’d looked at them back then, amazed at how her power. By appearance, a human infant. But skin soon sprouted wings and their complexion was a pale blue. Their hair an even paler one. And now Sariel stood more amazing than she’d thought, taller than any being she’s seen in flowing robes and a river of silky hair. Their many eyes, when opened, look at her even without pupils, glowing with a strange iridescent gloss. Like opals, she thinks.

 

Sariel, at first glance, would be the perfect candidate. But for all they were intelligent and dedicated and loyal, they were cold and stoic. Lacking the affection a leader needs for their underlings or at least, not very good at expressing it. Sariel was one of her many prides, nearly as old as she was. But as a demon, no matter how angelic looking, was naturally going to surpass even her in age.

 

Sariel held many of Makai’s important roles. As a being that preexisted Makai itself, albeit as an infant, they were tasked with holding and recording all of Makai’s history. Their room was a maze of bookcases, organized and labelled with more scrolls than any other library from the outside world.

 

(Though it was so long ago, Shinki can barely remember it.)

 

They were also the strongest magician, second only to Shinki herself. Much like Alice, they held every bit of magic Shinki had learned and invented within a single, giant tome. She’d always been able to depend on her loyal retainer to predict disasters and fix them accordingly.

 

“I just don’t know what to do.”

 

Shinki’s fingers nervously trace the creases of her other hand. Sariel hums in reply.

 

“Would I not be the perfect candidate?”

 

“But do you want to be?”

 

“I would be honored.”

 

“But do you _want it,_ Sariel?”

 

Sariel held a sophisticated and haughty air, every bit prideful as they were otherworldly, like a lion. Only Shinki had ever been able to bring out this side of them. She can’t tell where they’re looking, eyes only pearly whites, but their hand had stopped its writing, ink spilling into a large dot on their desk.

 

“I have always been comfortable serving you, mother.” Shinki’s breath catches. They never called her that...They must know her time is soon. “But should it be necessary, I will accept the position.”

 

“You won’t be happy, a leader who doesn’t wholeheartedly love their role can never be a true one.”

 

Sariel looks at her finally, confused.

 

“You can be as dedicated, as qualified as you ever could be...But if you don’t love leading, if you don’t love the people...They will know, and they will revolt.”

 

“...I apologize.”

 

Sariel had always been a rather apathetic one. Much more focused on work and their studies than social interaction. Perhaps the only sibling they’d ever been close to was Elis, tasked with tutoring her as a child and often watching over her. It wasn’t their fault, Shinki knew, but they simply weren’t enough.

 

Four more options.

 

* * *

 

Elis too was an unfitting heir. Shinki’s second child-- many demons came before her, but the second to be kept within her near family. The first of her kind, even. Vampires were a rare species within Makai, Shinki had never completely gotten the hang of creating them. They perhaps were only vampires in that they drink blood, with none of the typical weaknesses you’d associate with them. Elis basked in sunlight and stared into mirrors, wore silver jewellry and would likely heal from a stake.

 

Elis was a wonderful daughter, bright and cheerful and ambitious, somehow retaining her childlike wonder after centuries of life. Though, demons did grow so slowly, Shinki had adjusted to how much longer time seemed to take, and vampires did hardly ever age. It made sense, but was just as much a weakness as a strength.

 

It was because of that childlike naivety that Elis couldn’t rule Makai. She wasn’t entirely ill-suited, though. Before a flood had destroyed it in Makai’s early years, Elis was to inherit the ancient city-state of Vina. The first city ever built in Makai’s land, fruitable beside the seaside. But within Makai’s water was the very essence of a demon’s being, their makeup. And like fermenting wine, it festered when left long enough, and unspeakably demonic abominations (even by a realm _of_ demons’ standards) roamed its depths. The flood may have destroyed homes, but it took lives as well. Demons could survive drowning, but they couldn’t survive being snatched and eaten by giant sea life.

 

Makai’s population grows, and soon, it will have to be rebuilt. The fear of floods has long since diminished, with weather patterns regulating and Sariel on guard. Elis would be its princess within a few years. Shinki couldn’t take that away from her, from Vina, from her people.

 

“I’m sorry, mother…” Elis sniffles, cuddling into her creator on her lap. She was a little big for this, but Shinki couldn’t deny her. “I knew it would happen someday...b-but…”

 

“It’s okay.” Lips are pressed to the young vampire’s forehead, blonde bangs pried away. “I’ll miss you. But you understand, right?”

 

“Of course…” It didn’t hurt any less.

 

“You have Sariel by your side. You’ll do fine, okay?”

 

“Okay…”

 

Three more options.

 

* * *

 

Sara was incompetent. It hurt Shinki to think of, but it was true. Not because of any lack of skills or smarts. Put simply, Sara was too nice. Shinki was by all means pacifistic, but understood from too many past incidents that some level of a military was needed.

 

All demons’ bodies were amazingly advanced, with extremely strong recovering abilities and even the lowest demons having inhuman strength. Sara was an exception, a lower demon of no special label...just that, a demon in the most barest sense. But somehow, she’d shown unheard of physical strength. She’d broken her bedding as a toddler, that was proof enough. And now, as an adult, she could break boulders with her bare fists and cause almost earthquakes with a hard enough stomp.

 

Sara, however, was gentle and sweet. Too gentle and sweet to ever use this strength against a living being. Every time she attempted, she couldn’t help but hold back, and would inevitably be beaten by her own timidness. And then danmaku became the top form of battle in Gensokyo, which required magic, something Sara could never quite get the hang of. She was relatively scatter-brained too, loving to stare at the clouds and wander about Gensokyo’s land when she was off duty. Not much suited for a gatekeeper, but few came to Makai anyways.

 

Needless to say, queen Sara would be a disaster

 

Luize wasn’t much better, blind literally and metaphorically. Her actual blindness wasn’t so much an issue as her blindness to the world. Shinki loved her like she loved all her children, but sirens were a naturally spoiled bunch. Wander the beachside and you would find them, lounging nude across rocks and gliding through the water. Brushing and braiding each other’s hair, gossiping among themselves. Even worse, there was an internal conflict between them and the succubi. Both naturally beautiful and seductive creatures, both aiming to be the most naturally enchanting. They were too similar, peaceful by themselves but violent when together. Sirens stayed to the sea while succubi lived in the city’s nightlife, for better or for worst.

 

Luize might’ve been more mature on the issue, but the nature of her species simply wasn’t a good fit for a starring role. Stubborn and hedonistic, the structure she’d so carefully built would crumble under Luize’s rule. And the woman had no interest in obtaining responsibilities anyhow.

 

One option left.

* * *

 

“I cannot.”

 

Yumeko was Shinki’s second retainer and fifth child, much too like Sariel. Serious and stoic, she was cold to all she didn’t deem worthy. Not on purpose, not usually. It was just her nature.

 

With a scary demeanor and unsightly attitude, the people would never accept her. It meant little to her other than the unfortunate fact she can’t help her queen and creator. She would apologize at every chance. And Shinki would shake her head.

 

“It’s not your fault. I only ask that you serve the next ruler well.”

 

Yumeko nods, fully understanding. The general of Makai’s small but strong army, she held an important role Shinki only trusted to her.  Yumeko was something of a paranoid veteran, she might be a maid but also a warrior. One who distrusted Gensokyo with all her being, not when their people had caused Makai such trouble twice. She could never keep peace between the two realms, and Makai had little chance of victory with Shinki gone.

 

What to do when Yumeko was gone...Well, that’s for the next ruler to decide, it won’t be for centuries.

 

“Of course, Lady Shinki.”

* * *

 

Time was drawing near. Shinki’s hair had lost its color long long ago, but she’d looked otherwise untouched since her nigh-immortality obtained in her youth. She couldn’t stomach looking in the mirror, seeing her skin start to fade and prune, bones starting to poke through her skin. It was hard to walk or stand, leaning on Yumeko for help when a cane was too little. She’d accepted her recent bedridden state.

 

She’d denied healing magic, she knew it was time.

 

All her other options she sought in desperation were exhausted. Koakuma was in Gensokyo, under Remilia’s contract. Mai and Yuki were simply too young. Yuugenmagan had existed since Makai begun, just about. And at this point, Shinki thought an unthinking mass of eyes and electricity was as good a leader as any.

 

“Lady Shinki. A woman wishes to see you.”

 

Shinki lifts her head with a little effort, blinking until Yumeko comes into focus. “Who?”

 

Shinki wouldn’t normally deny visitors, but it almost hurt to speak. She hadn’t these past few weeks. How news got out, she wasn’t sure, but Pandaemonium was suddenly quite busy. Remilia and Patchouli had come to her, expressing their condolences as Koakuma sobbed into her mother’s lap. Mima popped in through the bedroom window with a casual “your guards are pretty shit at their job” as Shinki rolled her tired eyes. But even she was lacking her usually cheerful tone, clearly going to miss her half-friend half-rival. Yuuka was much the same. Even Reimu and Marisa had paid their respects.

Shinki didn’t realize how many companions she’d truly had until they were around her in her last moments, and suddenly it hurt so much worse. But what hurt the most was the absence of her only biological daughter. Humans were faulty in shape, and all Shinki had ever wanted was a family. In her homeland, a woman without a child was as good as a slave. And she’d tried, oh how she tried, but her body wouldn’t bear fruit. Only after uncountable years of living had a baby finally survived.

 

Were she still here, Alice would be the heir. But would she be a fitting one? It despaired Shinki to think about how she didn’t even know, because she hadn’t seen her in all these years. Alice was likely no longer the shy, quiet little bookworm  the matron had known. Who knew if she’d studied that magic at all? Who knew if she was at all like a ruler needed to be? Shinki couldn’t, because Alice left and never returned.

 

She was a horrible mother, she was sure now, because why else would Alice leave? But she would never know, not even know on her deathbed.

 

“...It’s Alice.”

 

Or so she thought.

**Author's Note:**

> AO3 user lotusroad, writing a Touhou fic? It's more likely than you think


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